I spoke to 40 women over the last 3 weeks, and here are the top 3 things they told me they need to thrive in their careers: 1️⃣ Elevating personal leadership skills Many women see themselves as capable leaders, but often lack the strategic skills needed to effectively navigate male-dominated environments. 2️⃣ Building connections with other women Women working in companies and organisations with less than 10% female representation crave more female role models in their environments. They also need more opportunities to connect with other women and exchange experiences, ambitions, and challenges. 3️⃣ Increased support from their organisation Even when women are ready to grow, they often feel their organisations aren't fully recognising the importance of gender diversity. It's crucial for companies to listen, learn from best practices, and lead through meaningful actions. 🎯 How I had these conversations: 🤝 Group meetings (both in-person and online) with alumnae women who completed my Stratego for Women® program. 🤝 1-on-1 Intro calls with women interested in upcoming editions of Stratego for Women® (online and in Utrecht) 🤝 Prep meetings with a DEI team from a biotech company (all-women team! 🙌) for a workshop I'll facilitate at their HQ in Amsterdam Science Park - Science & Business organisation. 🤝 Meetings with three HR directors from a financial services company, a sanitary fittings manufacturer, and a tech company to explore the implementation of a Women’s Leadership Program at their organisations. 🤝 Attending the Dutch Women in Tech meet up in Amsterdam From these conversations, I’ve also came up with actionable steps that leaders can take in Q4 of 2024 to improve gender equality in their organisations and I’ll be sharing these steps tomorrow here on LinkedIn. Make sure to follow my profile and tap the 🔔 to get notified! The key to understanding what women need in the workplace? 🔑 Talk to them, not about them. #Leadership #DiversityAndInclusion #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #CareerDevelopment #StrategoForWomen
Thid concurs with my findings too Mira , thank you for this summary! ✨
Talk to us - not about us 💥 Shouldn’t be rocket science yet still a failing on most organisations part
The last sentence is the 🔑 Amazing Mira you are always straight to the point 🎯
Talk with them, not about them! Love it.
Talk to them in stead of about them. Love it 💃
Interesting insights, thanks. Building connections with other women is one I've found valuable to focus on throughout my career as I was often the only woman in my department or in the management team.
Can I suggest a 4th one: having a partner you run the household 50-50 with like we do Chris Haenen ❤️
So simple but so overlooked! Thanks for sharing Mira Vasic, Ph.D.
I help Top-Talent Women regain Career Clarity, Confidence, Control by calming the mind and reconnecting with body, emotions, purpose, and feminine energy | Corporate Events & Workshops | ICF ACC | Ex-McKinsey Manager
3moAbsolutely love the focus on talking to women, not just about them Mira! In my work, I hear so often how the real breakthroughs happen when women feel truly heard and supported, and are empowered to create their own solutions to their own challenges. There’s so much power in recognizing that each woman’s career trajectory is unique—what works for one might not work for another, and that’s completely okay! It’s about facilitating those conversations and providing the right tools for women to design their own success.